There’s a traffic jam amongst us, and it’s only getting worse. Network interference is raising its ugly head as we load our lives with wireless devices competing for bandwidth.

The signs are crackling static on your cellphone, wireless speakers, Bluetooth and Wi-Fi devices and even baby monitors. Interruption of your wireless network, Internet TV and phone calls, called drop-outs, are common.

The problem is each device is operating on the 2.4-gigahertz radio frequency. This band was designed to handle a few devices at once but not the overwhelming demands of modern homes and offices. With your neighbors’ networks spilling onto it, we have collision problems.

Some interference is impossible to fix, except to return the offending product to the store for a refund. Make sure you can do this before purchasing.

Device makers are getting smart. They are adding switches to essentially “change channels” if interference blocks the default. That’s the first step in a fix. Check your device for a band switch.

The newer products may feature automatic switching to the next clear channel.

We tend to keep our wireless gear in one room. That can cause interference. A better scheme is to separate them in different rooms. If you have interference, you’ll need to experiment finding the best arrangement. Be aware your kitchen microwave is a major source of 2.4-GHz interference. Keep your cellphone out of there.

Cordless phones, especially those with multi-user conferencing, are another problem. Stay away from the 2.4- GHz models, opting instead for 1.9- or 900-MHz. The 5.7- GHz or 1.9-GHz are best for multi-handset phones.

You’ll find the closer people live, the more frequent the interference collisions. Urban offices suffer the most. Folks living in apartment buildings and condos will have more than those in separated houses.

Although Wi-Fi continues to improve, it still suffers interference problems. It operates at the crowded 2.4- or 5-GHz bands. If you live near a restaurant or hotel offering Wi-Fi, you might have problems that are irreconcilable.

We have a dining-room chandelier in our house. Its dimmer destroys the FM radio signal in our bedroom. The fix? Don’t use the dimmer. We’ve also endured a wireless door bell that changes the channels on our TV. The fix? Return the door bell.

BY THE WAY In last week’s column about rampant Photoshopping, I mentioned the realty ads with shrubbery planted across the garage doors on model homes. Jim Camp at Cutler Realty explains:

“Many times, while the house is being used as a model the garage becomes the sales office. The garage is landscaped to look like another part of the house. When the house is sold the garage is reconverted to its original use.”